Display writing instrument

ABSTRACT

A writing instrument including a combination display device and pocket clip. The instrument includes an elongated body comprising a barrel and a cap. The combination display and clip is a plate having a display surface, the other plate surface being fixed to the cap. A portion of the plate overlies but is unsecured to the body so that the margin of a shirt pocket can be pushed between the plate and body.

United States Patent 11 1 Geffen 1451 Nov. 12, 1974 I5 1 DISPLAY WRITING INSTRUMENT 2.248.145 7/1941 Wilder 40 334 Inventor: Hyman Gene, 1270 E. 00th 2.718.749 9/1955 Florman 401/195 X B kl 2 r00 W N Y H 36 Primary Examiner-Lawrencc Charles [22] hled: Aug. 30, 1973 Armrney, Agent, or FirmBreitenfeld & Levine 121] App]. No; 393,103

[57] ABSTRACT 152 11.5. c1. 40/334, 401/195. 24/11 CT A Writing instrument including a Combination p y 51 Int. Cl B43k 29/00 device and Pocket P- The instrument includes an 158 Field of Search 40/334; 401/195, 52. 202; elongated body Comprising 11 barrel and a p h 24/11 CT combination display and clip is a plate having a d1splay surface. the other plate surface being fixed to the 5 References Cited cap. A portion of the plate overlies but is unsecured to UNITED STATES PATENTS the body so that the margin of a shirt pocket can be pushed between the plate and body. 1.275.982 8/1918 Ormlston 40/334 X 1.832.318 11/1931 Myers 40/334 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures v DISPLAY WRITING INSTRUMENT This invention relates to writing instruments, and more particularly to a writing instrument which displays a message or a decorative effect when the writing instrument is not in use and stored in a pocket.

It is common practice to provide writing instruments with resilient clips which extend along the length of the instrument body. When the writing instrument is slipped into a pocket, the clip extends along the outside ofthe pocket so that the pocket is gripped between the clip and instrument body to prevent the writing instrument from accidentally falling out of the pocket,

It is an object of the present invention to provide a writing instrument with a combination pocket clip and display element which serves to both hold the writing instrument in a pocket and at the same time display an advertising message or any other desired indicia.

It is another object of the invention to provide such awriting instrument which can be made inexpensively on a mass production basis.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a writing instrument which when stored in a pocket does not appear as a writing instrument since onlyvthe display element can be seen.

Additional objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a writing instrument according to the invention stored within a shirt pocket, only a fragment of the pocket being shown;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the writing instrument;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 3'3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the writing instrument.

The writing instrument chosen to illustrate the present invention is a ball point pen of the type often referred to as a stickl pen. The pen has an'elongated body comprising a straight rod or barrel l and a cap 11. Barrel serves as an ink reservoir, and projecting from one end of the barrel is a ball point writing tip 12. When the pen is not in use, the writing end of barrel 10 is inserted into the open end of cap 11, as shown in FIG. 3, and the cap frictionally engages the side wall of the barrel. Of course, when the pen is to be used for The front face 16 of plate bears an advertising message, a decorative illustration, or any other desired material. This material may be applied to the face 16 in any conventional way, such as by silk screening or hot stamping. The rear face 17 of plate 15 is secured to cap 11. In the present example, the plate and cap are molded as a single unit, as shown in FIG. 3, from a suitable plastic. The point of securement of cap 11 to plate 15 is spaced from the edge of the plate so that a portion 18 of the plate extends below the open end of the cap.

. The portion 18 therefore overlies the barrel 10 when the cap and barrel are engaged, and serves as the pocket clip of the pen. Preferably, plate 15 also extends beyond the closed end 19 of the cap 11 so that the plate completely hides the cap when the pen is stored in a pocket. This adds a bit of mystery to the display since it is not obvious when looking at it from straight ahead, as in FIG. 1, how the display plate 15 is supported.

When the capped pen is to be stored in a shirt pocket 22, barrel 10 is slipped into the pocket and the upper edge 23 of the pocket is pushed between the plate portion 18 and barrel 10. In this way, the pocket 22 is gripped and the pen prevented from accidentally falling out of the pocket.

Although the invention has been shown and described in connection with a stick-type ball point pen, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this particular type of writing instrument, but could be used with, for example, marking pens, fountain pens, and mechanical pencils. Furthermore, the invention could be used with a ball point pen of the type in which the pen body comprises a barrel and a cap threadably engaging the barrel, and a push button ratchet mechanism within the cap for projecting and retracting the writing tip from the end of the barrel opposite the cap.

The invention has been shown and described in preferred form only, and by way of example, and many variations may be made in the invention which will still be comprised within its spirit. It is understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment except insofar as such limitations are included in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A writing instrument comprising an elongated body, and a combination display device and pocket clip carried by said body, said combination display device and pocket clip comprising a plate wider than said body having a display surface, the opposite surface of said plate being secured to said body at a point spaced from an edge of said plate, a portion of said plate overlying but being unsecured to said body, whereby when said 1 body is inserted into a shirt pocket the upper margin of the shirt pocket can be pushed between said body and the unsecured portion of said plate to hold the writing instrument in the pocket and to display the entire display surface of said plate outside the pocket.

2. A writing instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein said plate is at least three times as wide as said body.

cured to said barrel, said plate being secured to said cap.

5. A writing instrument as defined in claim 4 wherein said cap and plate are a single molded plastic unit.

6. A writing instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein said body comprises a barrel having a writing end and a Cip removably secured to said barrel over its writing en 7. A writing instrument as defined in claim 6 wherein said cap has a closed end and an open end, the writing end of said barrel being insertable into said open end, and said plate extending beyond said open end so that it overlies said barrel when said cap and barrel are joined. 

1. A writing instrument comprising an elongated body, and a combination display device and pocket clip carried by said body, said combination display device and pocket clip comprising a plate wider than said body having a display surface, the opposite surface of said plate being secured to said body at a point spaced from an edge of said plate, a portion of said plate overlying but being unsecured to said body, whereby when said body is inserted into a shirt pocket the upper margin of the shirt pocket can be pushed between said body and the unsecured portion of said plate to hold the writing instrument in the pocket and to display the entire display surface of said plate outside the pocket.
 2. A writing instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein said plate is at least three times as wide as said body.
 3. A writing instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein said plate is secured near one end of said body and extends beyond said one end, so as to completely hide the portion of the body extending above the shirt pocket upper edge when the writing instrument is being carried in a pocket.
 4. A writing instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein said body comprises a barrel and a cap removably secured to said barrel, said plate being secured to said cap.
 5. A writing instrument as defined in claim 4 wherein said cap and plate are a single molded plastic unit.
 6. A writing instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein said body comprises a barrel having a writing end and a cap removably secured to said barrel over its writing end.
 7. A writing instrument as defined in claim 6 wherein said cap has a closed end and an open end, the writing end of said barrel being insertable into said open end, and said plate extending beyond said open end so that it overlies said barrel when said cap and barrel are joined. 